OAKLAND -- Under fire for not filling key civilian posts in the police department, Mayor Jean Quan told council members at Tuesday's budget hearing that Oakland's Human Resources department is so understaffed that it's currently being run by the city treasurer.

"If you want to speed up hiring, then maybe you should hire more HR people," Quan told council members who questioned why the city has yet to fill numerous vacant jobs including 20 police technician posts approved earlier this year.

Councilmember Desley Brooks had noted the high number of vacancies -- 47 civilian jobs in the police department alone -- in arguing against authorizing more jobs for police dispatchers, crime lab workers and investigators.

Quan said the city hasn't yet filled the director of human resources position and that the sharply diminished staff has had to focus on holding police academies to increase sworn staffing.

"There are now four department heads that we're not filling so we're making people do two or three jobs and that's why we're asking for administrative help," she said.